Here’s what’s happening with coronavirus around the world on Monday.
The latest:
- Saudi Arabia says this year’s hajj will allow ‘very limited numbers’ of people.
- India sees record new cases as its lockdown lifts.
- WHO leader warns world leaders against ‘politicizing’ pandemic.
- What countries did right and wrong in responding to the pandemic.
- Mexico to resume sending farm workers to Canada after COVID-19 safety agreement.
- Canada-U.S. border rules and restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic explained.
The record levels of new daily COVID-19 cases are due to the fact that the pandemic is peaking in a number of big countries at the same time and reflect a change in the virus’s global activity, the World Health Organization said.
At a media briefing on Monday, WHO’s emergencies chief, Dr. Michael Ryan, said that “the numbers are increasing because the epidemic is developing in a number of populous countries at the same time.”
Some countries have attributed their increased caseload to more testing, including India and the U.S. But Ryan dismissed that explanation.
“We do not believe this is a testing phenomenon,” he said, noting that numerous countries have also noted marked increases in hospital admissions and deaths — neither of which can be explained by increased testing.
“There definitely is a shift, in that the virus is now very well established,” Ryan said. “The epidemic is now peaking or moving towards a peak in a number of large countries.”
He added the situation was “definitely accelerating” in a number of countries, including the U.S. and others in South Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
What’s happening with COVID-19 in Canada
As of 3:45 p.m. ET on Monday, Canada had 101,573 confirmed and presumptive coronavirus cases, with the majority in Quebec and Ontario. Of those cases, 64,284 of the cases were listed as resolved or recovered. A CBC News tally of deaths based on provincial information, regional health data and CBC’s reporting stood at 8,472.
Ontario reported 161 new cases on Monday, bringing the total number of cases in that province to 33,637 with 2,647 deaths.
Quebec reported 69 new cases, bringing the total number of cases there to 54,835 with 5,417 deaths. The daily figure is the lowest Quebec has seen since March 21, and the first time Quebec has had no new deaths to report since March 17, when the province reported its first COVID-19-related death.
- Toronto, Peel Region allowed to move into next phase of reopening.
- COVID-19 taught Canada a costly lesson — that early border closures can work
- Meet some of the Indigenous health workers helping keep communities safe
- Here are the latest COVID-19 statistics for Alberta — and what they mean
- COVID-19 marks first Manitoba-wide state of emergency on record
- 3rd Ontario migrant worker dies of COVID-19
- Quebec’s health minister out as François Legault shakes up cabinet
- New emergency leave available for Islanders unable to work during pandemic
- Luck and timing: How B.C. has managed to avoid the worst-case COVID-19 scenario
What’s happening around the world
Saudi Arabia says this year’s hajj will not be cancelled, but due to the coronavirus, only “very limited numbers” of people will be allowed to perform the major Muslim pilgrimage.
The kingdom said Tuesday that only people of various nationalities already residing in the country would be allowed to perform the hajj. The government did not specify how many people would be permitted to take part.
The announcement came as Saudi Arabia ended its nationwide curfew over the weekend.
